Enjoy a spooky night out to get you in the mood for the 31st.
Is Halloween your holiday? If so, head down to Screamfest 2021 to see five unique settings, each as scary as the last. Enjoy a spooky night out to get you in the mood for the 31st.
I ventured down on 14 October to experience the festivities.
ScreamFest is back, and it is bigger than ever! With five unique settings, each designed to attack your fears in different ways. The costumes and decorations everyone loves are all back too, and it is Halloween celebrated in the best way.
There are plenty of reasons to go along, even for those who do not love the October holiday. With a giant funfair with a mixture of the rides you expect at your local fairs. Plenty of food and drink with both vegan and vegetarian options on offer and a fully licensed bar. The advice from me is don't sleep on the fish and chips. A DJ booth and live music.
After short drive to a farm in Burton, you will arrive at the spooky scene that is ScreamFest. Back after its year hiatus following restrictions on gatherings due to COVID-19. Free Parking is available for all cars, and it is only a short walk to the venue. Pre-booking online is mandatory as are no on the door tickets. A modest £22 is what entry will cost you, with a pricier 32 pounds if you hate queuing and wish to fast track all of the events.
When you walk in, you are greeted by a good baggage search and polite reception staff. Then step into a blast of Halloween, with traditional holiday music, but the team labelled the 'Screamfest Six' they immediately see you and, in their own creepy way, make you feel welcome.
I started with the attraction labelled 'Freak out on tour': a site based on an abandoned circus, with screaming and burning noises playing in the background. Based on a rave that turned bad as the ghosts of an abandoned circus came to life. It was a solid start to the evening with a mixture of flashing lights, warping lighting, and jump scares.
The second attraction was the popular 'Love Hurts' with trashy white girl music blaring and a faint sound of a chainsaw being heard. The attraction had a lot of screams and noise blasting as a misdirection. When you enter, the lost children follow you and the jump screams will leave your ears ringing! All in all, the reveal of a final boss is spoiled during your queueing experience, but it is still rewarding.
Onto some food, and food at a midline price point of £10.50, you get three small sausages and chips, a portion of cheesy chips and two cans. I will tell you the chips are worth it at Crumpets Chippy Fish & Chips.
After the walk through the fairground, I headed to Creed farm, which had various old school rides, including the 50 ft Oxygen. There was Halloween themed Paintball and bottle-throwing as well, which will cost you five pounds. Not much there, but it is an inception festival as the scream attractions are why you are there.
Creed farm was a very unknown one. The name suggests a farmyard experience, and with corn surrounding the attraction, you get an idea. Whatever your vision is through it out of the window. As when you walk into Creed Farm, there is an immediate presence and genuine fright. A two-part scene with never-ending terror and fright. Magnificent suspense building attraction. The best attraction of the evening.
The second-to-last attraction I visited was the zombie land inspired 'Hillbilly Joe's Zombie Zoo'. The blasting country music and occasional pop up of slow-moving zombies really brought cheers and set the mood of the fun to begin. It began right away with the folksy attitude of the actors setting the scene, and the creativity inside was the best of the evening!!
Last but not least was 'Le Theatre Noir', a short story about a set of sisters who come and haunt the host and his ancient ancestor. Four sisters come out of the shadows to show us all how truly terrifying and creepy they can be. A rainy setting will truly drench you with fear.
Overall in all five scares, the actors and creativity are undoubtedly impressive. The inclusion of a local college students definitely adds some youthful vigour and innocence, it does not work every time, but the majority it adds to the scare.
If you want some great and affordable Halloween fun, horror and overall community vibe. Head down to ScreamFest 2021; you will not regret it. Available dates for Screamfest are 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 October 2021. Doors open from 6.30pm, scares open at 7pm.